Orifice plate carrier

Abstract

An orifice plate carrier for an orifice plate fitting is disclosed in which the downstream surface of the carrier has a radial lip partially occluded the orifice plate opening. The lip is configured to define the axial position of the orifice plate in the carrier and to also establish a seal between the lip and the orifice plate seal member. An orifice plate carrier also may comprise an orifice plate insert configured to allow a single carrier to accept multiple orifice plate members. An insert may be configured to accept a first type of orifice seal member, but not a second type.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A carrier for an orifice plate, the orifice plate having a two-sided deformable seal disposed about a periphery of the orifice plate, the carrier comprising:
 a body having an upstream surface and a downstream surface; 
 an opening through the elongated body defined by a wall having a first diameter, the wall configured to engage an outer peripheral surface of the two-sided deformable seal; 
 two or more projections emanating from the wall in a radial direction toward a center of the opening, each projection configured to engage an outer peripheral surface of the orifice plate and to locate the orifice plate in the opening 
 a radial lip associated with the downstream surface extending in a radial direction toward the center of the opening, the radial lip having a radial length sufficient to contact a downstream side of the two-sided deformable seal, the radial lip configured to locate the orifice plate within the opening, and configured to reduce movement of the orifice plate within the opening; and 
 a gusset between the wall and the radial lip and configured to structurally support the lip against out-of-plane deflection. 
 
     
     
       2. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the radial lip defines the location of the orifice plate within the carrier. 
     
     
       3. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a thickness configured to allow an upstream surface of the two-sided deformable seal to seal against a first surface associated with an orifice plate fitting in which the carrier resides. 
     
     
       4. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the downstream surface of the body is configured to engage a second surface associated with an orifice plate fitting in which the carrier resides. 
     
     
       5. The carrier of  claim 4 , wherein the body has a thickness configured to allow an upstream surface of the two-sided deformable seal to seal against a first surface associated with the orifice plate fitting in which the carrier resides. 
     
     
       6. The carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the radial lip and body each has a thickness configured to establish the location of the orifice plate within the body, to allow an upstream surface of the two-sided deformable seal to seal against a first surface associated with an orifice plate fitting in which the carrier resides, and to allow the downstream surface of the body to engage a second surface associated with the orifice plate fitting in which the carrier resides. 
     
     
       7. The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a gap between the gusset and the deformable seal where the deformable seal contacts the radial lip. 
     
     
       8. A carrier for an orifice plate, the orifice plate having a two-sided deformable seal disposed about a periphery of the orifice plate, the carrier comprising:
 an upstream carrier surface and a downstream carrier surface, wherein at least a portion of the downstream carrier surface is configured as a metal-to-metal engagement surface; 
 an opening through the carrier defined by a wall having a first wall diameter and a wall thickness, the wall configured to engage an outer peripheral surface of the two-sided deformable seal; 
 two or more projections emanating from the wall in a radial direction toward a center of the opening, a portion of each projection configured to engage an outer peripheral surface of the orifice plate and to locate the orifice plate radially within the opening; 
 a radial lip emanating from the wall in a radial direction toward the center of the opening and having an upstream lip surface and a downstream lip surface, the downstream lip surface associated with the downstream carrier surface, the lip having a radial length configured so that the upstream lip surface contacts a downstream side of the two-sided deformable seal when the orifice plate with two-sided deformable seal are disposed in the carrier, the radial lip having a lip thickness that is less than the wall thickness and configured to locate the orifice plate within the opening so that an upstream side of the two-sided deformable seal protrudes beyond the upstream carrier surface; and 
 a step formed between the wall and the upstream surface of the radial lip structurally supporting the radial lip against out-of-plane deflection; 
 wherein the carrier is configured such that, when the orifice plate with the two-sided deformable seal is operatively coupled to the carrier, and the carrier is operatively disposed in a fitting, the orifice plate is sealed on the upstream side by the upstream surface of the two-sided deformable seal engaging a portion of the fitting, and the orifice plate is retained on the downstream side by the metal-to-metal engagement surface engaging another portion of the fitting. 
 
     
     
       9. The carrier of  claim 8 , wherein the body is longer than its width. 
     
     
       10. The carrier of  claim 8 , further comprising a gap between the step and the deformable seal where the deformable seal contacts the radial lip. 
     
     
       11. A orifice plate carrier for an orifice meter, the carrier comprising:
 a body having a first external surface and a second external surface substantially parallel to the first external surface by a first thickness; 
 a first opening in the body having a first diameter defined by a first opening wall, the first opening wall having a wall thickness that is less than the first thickness; 
 a plurality of projections emanating from the first opening wall, and wherein an outer surface of the plurality of projections defines a second opening within the first opening having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter; 
 a lip associated with the second external surface extending toward the center of the first opening, the lip defining a third opening having a diameter less than the first diameter, the difference in diameters defining a lip length; 
 a gusset disposed between the first opening wall and the lip structurally supporting the lip against out-of-plane deflection; 
 wherein, when an orifice plate having a deformable seal disposed about at least a portion of an outer periphery of the orifice plate is placed within the first opening, portions of the deformable seal engage the first opening wall, other portions of the deformable seal continuously engage the lip length, and others portions of the deformable seal extend beyond the first external surface; and 
 wherein the outer surfaces of the plurality of projections engage the outer periphery of the orifice plate not covered by the deformable seal. 
 
     
     
       12. The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the lip defines the location of the orifice plate within the carrier. 
     
     
       13. The carrier of  claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the lip defines an amount of deformable seal extending beyond the first external surface. 
     
     
       14. The carrier of  claim 13 , wherein, when the orifice plate is inserted in the carrier, and the carrier is inserted into the orifice meter, the deformable seal extending beyond the first external surface continuously seals against a first surface within the orifice meter. 
     
     
       15. The carrier of  claim 14 , wherein the deformable seal sealing engages the lip and the first surface of the orifice meter. 
     
     
       16. The carrier of  claim 14 , wherein a portion of the second external surface sealingly engages a second orifice meter surface. 
     
     
       17. The carrier of  claim 16 , wherein movement of the orifice plate within the carrier is restrained. 
     
     
       18. The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the lip is continuous about the first opening. 
     
     
       19. The carrier of  claim 11 , wherein the body is elongated. 
     
     
       20. The carrier of  claim 11 , further comprising a gap between the gusset and the deformable seal where the deformable seal engages the radial lip.